Pipe up: Chris O’Dell

“We need a credible and robust communications network to make the smart meter rollout a success”

The right communications coverage must be in place if the full benefits of a secure and affordable low-carbon future are to be achieved through the national rollout programme for smart metering.
All individual homes and businesses must have access to smart meters to enable an effective smart grid infrastructure to be established. And that means we must have reliable, nationwide connectivity for smart meters. Smart communications coverage problems do not just apply to traditionally hard-to-reach remote geographies – town centre high-rise tower blocks can be just as likely to struggle for consistent coverage.
We need a credible and robust communications network throughout the UK, one in which 100 per cent of households and businesses have the necessary quality of connectivity to make the smart meter rollout a success. This is no small task, as each meter must be able to communicate collected information to a central location both securely and reliably. In most cases, getting something right 99.99 per cent of the time is a job well done. But in this market, the requirement for “six nines” (99.9999 per cent) of reliability is becoming increasingly common.
Satellite communications can play a key role here. Not only can they provide effective coverage for those geographies with inadequate terrestrial or cellular coverage, they can also form an important part of the underlying communications supporting the smart metering initiative.
In fact, delivering such a high level of reliability will only be achievable by using multiple communications and networking channels that automatically switch between technologies based on availability, efficiency and cost. The utility network of the future will seamlessly blend multiple terrestrial, wireless and satellite-based communications technologies to dramatically improve grid reliability and efficiency. In short, it will provide an intelligent, highly reliable backbone that can support critical energy transmission and distribution.
Genuinely smart networks will enable appliances to communicate with smart meters, allowing reporting of consumption and demand on a per-appliance basis. Not only will this enable utilities to better manage peaks and troughs of demand, it will arm customers with the knowledge to adjust their usage and control costs. Incorporating satellite as part of a multi-channel communications network will ensure that these benefits will be available to all, whether in London or in the Scottish Highlands.